Smith pleads guilty to disorderly conduct charge

Retired executive had been arrested on public indecency count

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Richard Smith, right, pleads guilty to an amended charge of persistent disorderly conduct in Fremont Municipal Court on Thursday. He initially was charged with public indecency for a July incident at Wolf Creek Park.(Photo: Molly Corfman/The News-Messenger)Buy Photo

FREMONT - A retired Fremont businessman pleaded guilty Thursday to an amended charge of persistent disorderly conduct and will face no jail time after being accused of exposing himself to a Sandusky County park ranger.

Richard Smith, the retired president of The Fremont Company sauerkraut firm, had originally pleaded not guilty to a charge of public indecency for allegedly exposing his genitals to an undercover park ranger.

Smith appeared before retired Judge Michael Burkett, who was assigned to the case in the absence of Fremont Municipal Court Judge Daniel Brudzinski.

With his guilty plea to persistent disorderly conduct, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, Smith was given a 30-day suspended jail sentence. He also must pay a $250 fine, perform 100 hours of community service and serve 60 months of non-reporting probation.

Smith cannot visit any of the Sandusky County parks for five years and cannot perform any of his community service at the parks or with children's groups such as the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts.

His attorney, Joe Albrechta, of Fremont, said Smith had been a significant contributor to the community over the years.

Albrechta said there was a disputed set of facts involving what happened between Smith and the park ranger, but he said Smith wished to resolve the case.

The attorney said Smith and his family had suffered through embarrassment over the alleged incident and he blasted the media coverage of the case.

"As a consequence, my client has been drug through the mud by a media that should be focused on other, more important things," Albrechta said.

Smith declined to address the court.

A Sandusky County Parks District police report obtained by The News-Messenger through public records requests in July stated that Smith, 71, was arrested in an undercover operation at Wolf Creek Park after allegedly exposing himself to an undercover park ranger.